New Development at St. Boniface faces zoning crises that could stop future plans to build a multifamily development on the site. Seventh District Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez and the Norris Square Civic Association are dueling over the fate of this major community development that NSCA has already put in motion.
Norris Square Civic Association is a community group with many titles: affordable housing developers, community development corporation, and neighborhood organizers around issues of affordability, and safety. NSCA bought the st. Bonifice campus – a church, school, rectory, and convent– from the Archdiocese in 2007, a year after the parish merged with Visitation B.V.M.
NSCA plans to create a mixed-use community hub at St. Boniface. The former school will remain an alternative high school, the rectory will be NSCA's offices and a computer lab, and the assembly building will become a community center and small-business incubator. The most contentious aspect has been the demolition of St. Boniface Church and convent, reduced to rubble making way for the development of 15 limited-equity housing co-ops. Last month Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez introduced legislation to rezone the blocks surrounding Norris Square to preclude multi-family housing development. The change could make it harder for NSCA to build limited-equity co-op housing at St. Boniface.
The Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez has been impossible! NSCA wants to revitalize the neighborhood and bring a community center which sounds exciting for the children to have a safe meeting ground. They would be investing about 10 million dollars and I have not heard the councilwomen give an alternative to the project but she objects. I also have some concerns about the Co op and whether or not the civic will be successful at selling the coops to involved and positive members of the community whom have the communities best interest at heart. All in all the project will be a great addition to this community.
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